Holford has earned notoriety in Britain and South Africa for the
hyperbolic and unverified health claims he makes about his micronutrient
products. He is often interviewed on television and radio, his books are
marketed aggressively and his adverts run on popular radio
stations. Holford's claims and modus operandi has been exposed in Ben
Goldacre's book,
Bad Science. Holford has also been
ruled against previously by the ASA.

Last year Holford ran an advertisement on Highveld Stereo and KFM, two
popular radio stations, in which he claimed his product, Smart Kids
Brain Boost, would help children get to the top of their class. At the
time the product sold for R149.95 on Holford's website.

Equal Education
lodged a complaint with ASASA against the radio adverts. The complaint explained that
Holford's claims in his adverts were not supported by
evidence. Furthermore they breached the section of the advertising code
that dealt with adverts aimed at children. Consumer activist, Harris
Steinman, lodged a complaint against the radio adverts and Holford's
claims on his website. Importantly, his complaint said that even the
name of the product, Smart Kids Brain Boost, was misleading. Steinman
wrote a detailed point-by-point
rebuttal of Holford's claims.

The ASA ruled on 10 May. It noted that Holford made three voluntary
promises:

He would amend the claim that his product would help you "be top of
the class" to that it "could assist your child to perform at the top of
their own capacity / ability."

He would remove the claim that amino acids build neurotransmitters
that act as chemical messengers.

He would remove the claim that certain vitamins help to promote mental
vitality.

The ASA was not satisfied that the first promise addressed Equal
Education's or Steinman's concerns. It therefore considered whether the
claim was supported by evidence. It also considered other claims
objected to by Steinman.

Holford's legal representatives, Stefan Vos Marketing Regulation Advisers,
used the testimony of Professor Frederick J Veldman to support Holford's
claims. The ASA found that the professor's testimony did not provide
support for Holford's claims. It therefore ordered Holford to withdraw

the claim that phospholipids are "intelligent fats.";

any claims implying that Holford's product would result in improved
mental or scholastic performance; and

the product name, Smart Kids Brain Boost.

Because the ASA found that Holford's claims are unsubstantiated and have
to be withdrawn, it did not consider whether Holford's claims
breached the part of the code dealing with adverts aimed at children.

The ASA's ruling is an important victory for truthful advertising based
on scientific evidence. As Equal Education stated in their complaint:

It is wrong for Mr Holford to make unsubstantiated claims that take
advantage of the desire young people have to succeed in
school. Succeeding in school requires adequate resources, good
teachers, and hard work. There is unfortunately no short-cut based on
Mr Holford’s products.

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